The Case of the Missing Heart
by QueenOfAces
Summary: Cass and Frankie work on a case together and learn more about one another in the process.
1. Chapter 1

The Case of the Missing Heart, Part I

"Good morning," Frankie said, smiling from the doorway of the office.

Looking up from his papers, Cass smiled warmly at the woman he loved. "Hi," he said, rising to greet her.

"Hi, yourself," she replied, moving toward him.

Closing the distance between them, Cass and Frankie embraced tenderly. His hands came to rest gently at the small of her back, and her arms glided around his neck as she kissed him softly.

Pulling away for a moment, he told her playfully, "I was wondering when you were coming in to work. You can barely call this morning."

"I'm sorry I'm late, Cass, but a certain lawyer kept me up too long last night," she teased, her fingers playing with the curls in his hair.

"We had important business to discuss," he said seriously, looking into her eyes.

"As I recall, Cass, there wasn't much discussion involved."

"So we got a little sidetracked," he replied, leaning in to kiss her once more.

"Ahem," Stacey interrupted, causing Cass and Frankie to separate abruptly.

"Oh…hi, Stace," Cass said somewhat sheepishly.

Laughing, Stacey asked, "Are you two going to be this sickening all the time?"

Sharing a conspiratorial glance with Frankie, Cass wrapped his arm around her waist and said, "Yes, we are."

Shaking her head in amusement, she asked, "Well, close the door next time, will you? This _is_ a place of business."

"Sure, Stacey," Frankie chimed in, overcoming her mild embarrassment. "Speaking of business, what's on the agenda for today?"

"Well, I've got some confidential work to do for Lucas today. Cass, do you mind if I use your office?"

"Go ahead. I've got a light load, so I can work in the outer office." Looking pointedly at Frankie, he continued, "Besides, the view's much better out here anyway."

Smiling at the welcome sight of her brother in love, Stacey said, "I tell you what…._I'll_ close the door so that I can get some work done. Someone's got to be productive around here."

"See you, Stace," Cass called to his sister as she entered his office and shut the door behind her. Pulling Frankie into his arms, he continued, "Now, where were we?"

"Cass…," Frankie admonished. "I'm sure we have some work to do."

"My schedule is virtually empty today, so I've…."

At that moment, a frazzled young man in his early twenties entered the office. "I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Winthrop, but I need your help."

"What can we do for you?" Cass asked, disengaging from Frankie's embrace and adopting a businesslike demeanor.

"My fiancée is missing, and the police won't search for her. I've been told that you're the best. You've got to help me!"

"We'll do what we can," Frankie said, reaching out to their new client. "Please sit down, Mr…?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Mark Franklin."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Franklin. I'm Frankie Frame."

"Ms. Frame," he said in acknowledgement.

"How can we help you, Mr. Franklin?" Cass asked, as Frankie led the client to the nearest chair.

"My fiancée, Mary, disappeared last night. You've got to find her."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I left our hotel room for a few minutes, and when I returned, she was missing."

"Was there any sign of struggle or forced entry?" Frankie asked.

"No, but the necklace I was planning to give her was missing. I'm afraid the thief took her, too."

"Did anyone see you with that necklace before last night…anyone who might have wanted to steal it?" Frankie asked.

"I don't see how they could have because I kept it well hidden. I wanted to surprise Mary with it, but now…" he said, trailing off

Casting a glance and Frankie, Cass said gently. "I have to ask you this, Mr. Franklin. Were you and your fiancée having problems?"

"No!" he yelled. "Everything was great between us. We were planning to get married next month."

"Did she seem worried about anything?" Frankie asked gently.

"No," Mark said quickly.

"Are you sure?" Frankie continued. "Sometimes brides get nervous as the wedding approaches."

"Well, maybe she was a little nervous. I know she was worried about fitting in with my family."

"Why's that?"

"Because she was afraid that a girl from a poor background wouldn't be accepted into the mighty Franklin empire."

"So you're…?" Cass began.

"Yes, I'm one of _those _Franklins. You have to believe me, Mr. Winthrop. She knows I don't care about her background. I love her."

"It's obvious you do," Frankie soothed. "Can you tell us anything that might help us find her? Does she have friends here? Family?"

Shaking his head, Mark replied, "Her mother died last year, and she has no other relatives."

"She grew up here, then?"

"Yes. She lived here until she went to college. That's where we met."

"Does she have any friends here that you know of?"

"She must have some, but she never really kept in touch with anyone as far as I know. We met all of our close friends at school."

"Did she have a job in town?" Cass asked. "Maybe someone will remember her."

"The summer before our senior year she worked in a bar to make extra money."

"Do you know the name of it?"

"Uh…the Longshoreman, I think. I visited her there at the end of the summer, and I convinced her to stop working at that place…it wasn't in a good neighborhood."

"Hmmm…well, it's worth checking out anyway. Do you have a picture of her?"

"Yes," Mark said, producing the picture. "Her name is Mary Cassidy."

"Thank you, Mr. Franklin," Cass said as he took the photo. "Why don't you go back to your hotel while Frankie and I follow this lead. If you remember anything else or get further information, call the office and give the information to my sister Stacey. Do you have a number where we can reach you?"

"I'm staying at the Bay City Plaza, Suite 1000."

"We'll contact you as soon as we know anything," Cass assured him.

"Thank you, Mr. Winthrop, Ms. Frame," he said, nodding to each of them. "Hopefully, Mary will be back at the suite when I arrive."

"I hope so, Mr. Franklin. Goodbye."

Just before reaching the entrance to the bar, Frankie finally said what she'd been thinking since they left the law office. "Cass, you really didn't have to come with me. I can take care of myself."

"I know that, Frankie, but did it ever occur to you that I might want to spend time with you?"

Expecting an argument, Cass' answer surprised her. "You do?"

"Of course I do, you doofus," he said, reaching out to stroke her hair. "Besides, I couldn't pass up the chance to revisit the scene of our first successful date."

"We had more than one?" Frankie quipped.

Laughing, Cass replied, "Okay, so we've more than our share of disasters, but we're together, aren't we?"

"There's no place else I'd rather be," she responded, kissing him lightly as his arms pulled her close.

After a few long moments, Frankie disengaged from the embrace. "Come on, Winthrop. We've got work to do."

"Yes, boss," he replied playfully, following her into the bar.

* * *

Frankie and Cass questioned everyone in the bar, to no avail. Even their story of a large inheritance for the girl and a reward for information generated no response. 

In frustration, Frankie said, "We're not getting anywhere, Cass. Maybe we should go to Mr. Franklin's hotel, and search for clues there."

"In a minute, Frankie. I want you to dance with me."

As tempting as the offer was, Frankie shook her head. "Cass, we're not being paid to dance…we're being paid to find this girl."

"Dancing has always been lucky for us. Besides, I have this feeling we should stick around awhile longer."

"All right, but just one dance" she acquiesced, taking his hand just as the jukebox began playing _What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?_

"You knew I'd say yes, didn't you?" she asked as they began to dance closely.

"I hoped you would," he replied simply, caressing her back with his hand as they enjoyed the music.

"That date seems so long ago," Frankie mused.

"Before all the bad times," Cass added.

Nodding, she replied, "We were just beginning to learn about each other."

Smiling, he responded, "_I_ learned not to wager against you in a game of pool."

"And I learned not to bet against _you_ in a game of poker, even holding four nines. I was _this _close to packing my bags for the Caribbean, too."

"I'll take you there someday."

"On Caroline's tickets? How generous of you," she said mockingly.

"No, I gave those back to her."

"You did?"

He nodded. "I found them in my desk drawer after Christmas. Even though you and I were fighting, I knew there was only one woman I wanted to be with."

"Oh, Cass," she replied, tightening their embrace and resting her head against his shoulder.

As the song came to an end, Cass pulled back reluctantly and said, "I'll go call the office to see if there are any new developments. You check to see if the mood in this place has changed any. You might get a better response if I'm not around."

Nodding, Frankie headed to the bar to talk to some new customers. Passing by one of the tables, she heard a man call, "Hey, Red!"

"Yes?"

"You used to work for Lucas, didn't you?"

"I did. Why?"

"You two helped me out once. Lemme see if I can return the favor. Give me that photo."

"Sure," she said, handing him the picture and studying his face. "You look vaguely familiar, but I don't really remember you."

Shrugging his shoulders, he replied, "I've just got that kind of face. In my business, it's best that no one remembers me anyway. Now this girl, _she's _got a face I remember."

"Anything you can tell me would be helpful. Have you seen her lately? Does she have friends we might contact?"

"Nah, I haven't seen her in awhile, but one of her friends worked here until recently. I heard that she's working at the Pelican."

"That's great, Mr…?"

"No need for names here, Red. Go to the Pelican and ask for Jennifer. She's a blue-eyed brunette about 5'6" or so. Hopefully the kid's making a better life for herself."

"I will, thanks," Frankie said, smiling graciously at the man.

"Oh, and Red…."

"Yes."

"Don't let that lawyer break your heart."

Smiling in reassurance, she replied, "He couldn't. He's the one that fixed it in the first place."

* * *

Holding hands, Cass and Frankie entered the Pelican Club. Spotting the owner behind the bar, Frankie asked, "Is Derek around?" 

"He's in the back. You want me to go get him for ya?"

"If you don't mind."

"No problem. Have a seat."

After the owner's departure, Frankie said offhandedly, "I haven't been here in awhile."

"Yeah, well, it's not really my favorite place."

"Why's that?"

"Do you have to ask?"

Remembering the last time they were at the Pelican together, Frankie responded, "Hmm…well, that wasn't one of our finer moments."

"I couldn't believe that you were dancing with that creep," he said, his anger still evident.

Flashing a knowing smile, Frankie said, "Jealous, were you?"

"Insanely," he admitted.

"If it makes you feel any better, I much preferred dancing with you," she said, winding her arms around his neck.

"Until I opened my big mouth."

"You know better than to tell me what to do, Winthrop," she teased.

"I know, but I was so desperate to be with you, I couldn't think straight."

"Desperate to be with me or desperate to get me away from him?"

"Both," he admitted. "I couldn't stand the idea of you being with anyone else, but I was also genuinely worried about you. I just had a bad feeling about that guy."

"I wish I had listened to you," Frankie admitted, looking away.

"I wish you had, too," he replied, cupping her cheek and gently turning her to look in his eyes. "Frankie, when I couldn't find you the night of the gala, I…."

"Hey, guys!" Derek called from the doorway.

"Oh, hi, Derek," Frankie said distractedly, turning to face him.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No, of course not. How are you?"

"I'm great, thanks. What did you want to see me about?"

"Oh," Cass said, suddenly remembering why there were there. "Do you know a girl named Jennifer? She supposedly works here."

"Jennifer Davis?"

"We're not sure about the last name," Cass said.

"Is she about 5'6" or so? Brunette?"

"That's the one," Frankie chimed in.

"She's working at TOPS today. She needed some extra money, so I recommended her to Fanny. She's not in any trouble, is she?"

"No, Derek. We're actually looking for leads on a friend of hers. Have you seen this girl around by chance?" Frankie asked, producing the picture.

"No, sorry."

"That's all right, big guy. You've been a great help," Frankie said, patting her friend on the arm.

"Thanks, Derek," Cass added.

"Hey, Frankie, can I talk to you a minute?" Derek asked.

"Cass, do you mind?" Frankie asked.

"I'll wait for you in the car," Cass said, kissing her on the cheek before leaving. "See you, Derek."

"Bye, Cass," Derek replied.

"So…what's up?" Frankie asked.

"Nothing. I just haven't talked you in awhile, and I wanted to know how things were going with Cass."

"Things are going great, actually."

"How great?"

"I love him, Derek," she replied, her eyes flashing.

"I _know_ that, Frankie. We've all known that for months now."

"Yeah, well now he knows it, too."

"You told him?"

Nodding, she replied, "I finally took your advice, Derek, and I stopped running."

"And you're happy?"

"I've never been happier," she replied sincerely.

"Well, you deserve it, Frankie," he said, reaching out to touch her on the arm.

"Cass finally convinced me of that."

"Yeah, well, I haven't always been Cass' biggest fan, but you two are really good for one another. He adores you, you know."

"I know," she said, smiling a little self-consciously.

"Listen, you better get going before he begins to wonder what happened to you."

"You're right. Thanks for everything, Derek."

"You bet!"

* * *

Stepping off the elevator together, they were immediately greeted by Felicia. "Cass! Frankie! It's so wonderful to see you two together." 

"Hi, Felicia!" they said in unison.

"Can I get you a table? I've got a secluded spot available, perfect for a romantic lunch for two."

"Not this time, Felicia," Cass interjected. "We're here on business."

"Oh, a business luncheon, then? Well, I've got another table…."

Interrupting, Cass said gently, "Actually, honey, we're looking for one of your waitresses….a girl named Jennifer Davis."

"Oh, yes. Lovely girl. She just started working here yesterday."

"Can we talk to her?"

"Not right now. She's on her lunch break."

"Do you know where she went? It's very important that we find her," Frankie asked.

"I believe she went to the park for some fresh air. Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine. We're just trying to locate a friend of hers."

"Well, good. If there's anything I can do, let me know."

"We will," he said, turning to leave the restaurant with Frankie.

"Oh, and Cass…," she said, grabbing his arms and pulling him within whispering distance. "Let me know how it goes, honey."

"You'll be the first to know," he whispered back, a broad smile on his face.

* * *

"What was that about?" Frankie asked suspiciously as the elevator doors closed. 

"Oh, nothing. Felicia just wanted to know how things are going with us."

"I see. And why did she whisper to you?"

"You know Felicia. She likes to be dramatic."

"Uh huh," she said dubiously. "You're not planning to lock us in TOPS again, are you?"

"I wasn't, but now that you mention it…," he began, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her neck.

"Cass…," she protested weakly.

"What, Frankie?" he asked, caressing her lips with his own.

"I… know you, Cass," she remarked between kisses. "You're trying…to distract me."

"Is it working?" he managed, his caresses becoming more passionate.

"Mmm hmm," she mumbled in response, giving herself fully to the sensation of his lips traveling along her jaw line and his hands burying themselves in her hair.

The ding of the elevator brought them crashing back to reality, and they barely managed to put a respectable amount of distance between them before the doors opened.

Observant bystanders watched in amusement as Cass surreptitiously wiped the lipstick from his mouth and Frankie tried to rearrange her hair into a respectable style.

"You're a bad influence on me, Winthrop," she whispered to him as they walked through the lobby.

"Well, you're a good influence on me, Frame, so I guess it evens out."

Shaking her head in amusement, she replied, "You go on ahead, and I'll meet you outside. I'm just going to make a quick stop by the restroom to fix my hair."

"You look beautiful, Frankie, but I'll wait as long as you need me to."

"You always do," she said gratefully, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.


	2. Chapter 2

Finding the waitress in question proved to be an easy task. As Cass and Frankie entered the park, they saw a woman matching her description sitting on a nearby bench.

"Excuse me, but are you Jennifer Davis?" Frankie inquired.

"Yes, I am," the young woman answered, clearly surprised by the question.

"We're sorry to bother you, Jennifer, but we're looking for a friend of yours, Mary Cassidy."

"Who are you, and why are you looking for her?" she asked, concern evident in her eyes.

"I'm sorry…I should have explained," Frankie said apologetically, producing identification. "I'm Frankie Frame and this is Cass Winthrop," she said, gesturing to Cass.

"Hello," Cass added, as the girl nodded in his direction.

"Mary's fiancée came into our law firm this morning terribly concerned about her disappearance. We're simply trying to make sure that she's safe."

"I can't believe she hasn't contacted Mark. She's fine…just a little scared, that's all."

"Scared of what? She's not in any danger is she?" Cass asked with concern.

"Oh, no, no," Jennifer reassured them. "I think she's just afraid of marrying into that wealthy family. She hasn't been willing to talk about it much."

"It's not unusual for brides to be nervous before taking such a major step," Frankie said reassuringly. "Listen, we'll contact Mr. Franklin and let him know that she's safe."

"Good. He deserves to know."

"Is there any way we could talk to her as well?"

"I don't know about that."

"We won't reveal her whereabouts to Mr. Franklin unless she gives us permission," Cass added.

"I…," she began, clearly still hesitant.

Frankie interrupted gently, "If you're worried about us, your new boss will be happy to give a character reference. Cass is one of her closest friends."

"Oh, you're _that_ Cass," Jennifer said, her mind making a connection.

"What do you mean _that_ Cass?" he asked.

"Well, she was talking about you, and…," she began, faltering as she took a glance at Frankie.

"And what?" Frankie asked, her curiosity piqued.

"It's not important…she was just saying what a great guy he is. Look, if you want to reach Mary, she's staying at my apartment. The address is 1255 Front Street, Apartment 210."

"Thank you, Ms. Davis. We'll go check on her right away."

Shaking her head, she replied, "She won't be there for another hour or so. She said she had some errands to run."

"Oh, well thanks for letting us know."

"You're welcome. I really hope she goes back to Mark. He's good for her."

"He seems like a terrific young man."

"He is. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to return to work."

"Of course. Thanks again."

After she left, Frankie raised her eyebrow and asked, "What was that all about?"

"I don't know. I really hope Felicia hasn't been telling my secrets to complete strangers."

"And what secrets are those, my love?" she asked, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Are you always so suspicious?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

"I'm a P.I., Cass," she replied, winding her arms around his neck. "It's my job to be suspicious."

"And I'm a lawyer," he said, kissing her neck. "It's my job to be obscure."

"So you _are_ hiding something," she managed, closing her eyes as she felt his lips brush against her skin once more.

"You're the professional investigator," he murmured, his lips meeting hers in a slow, sultry kiss. Pulling back abruptly, he smirked, "I'll leave it for you to figure out."

"Cass…," she replied, laughing through her mild frustration. "Don't think that I won't."

"Oh, I have faith in you," he said, chuckling along with her. "Listen, since we've got some time to kill, why don't I go call our client, and you get us some lunch. I see your favorite hot dog vendor over there."

"Oooh, sounds good. What do you want on your hot dog?"

"Everything…including the hot dog."

Laughing, she replied, "I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Count on it."

* * *

A few moments later, Cass returned to find Frankie sitting on the bench waiting for him. 

"How did it go?" she asked.

"Mr. Franklin was quite relieved, as you can imagine. I told him that you were going to talk to Mary."

"Me? You aren't coming?"

Shaking his head sadly, Cass said, "No. I called Stacey and found out that I have a client coming in later this afternoon."

"And you couldn't reschedule?"

"Unfortunately not. I've still got time, though, so we can have a nice picnic before we both have to leave."

"I'd like that."

"So, hand over the dog. I'm starving."

"Here you go," she replied, their hands lingering as they touched.

They ate together in companionable silence, his arm holding her close and her head resting on his shoulder. They reveled in the warmth of the sun and in the simple joy of being together after denying their feelings for so long.

"Cass, do you remember the last time we were in this park together?"

"How could I forget it? I kissed you for the first time right over there."

"Well, as I recall, counselor, you weren't all that impressed with my kissing abilities."

"Maybe I just wanted to give you a reason to practice."

"Cass…," she said with mild exasperation, slapping him lightly on the arm for good measure.

"I'm sorry, Frankie. The truth is that I was trying to hide how much that kiss affected me."

"You were?"

"You didn't notice that my hands were shaking?"

"No. It took all my energy just to make a sarcastic comment and walk away."

"Oh, Frankie…we were both fighting it so hard, especially me," he said, reaching out to touch her hair.

Cupping his cheek and smiling, she replied, "You said you'd never kiss me again."

"Yeah, well…I was an idiot."

"You _were_ an idiot," she agreed.

"Will you let me make it up to you?" he asked, leaning in to kiss her.

"I'll think about it," she replied, wrapping her arms around him.

Just as their lips were about to meet, Cass felt a small hand tugging on his pants' leg. Turning his head abruptly, he saw a small boy with dark hair and dark eyes looking up at him.

"Hi there, little guy," he said gently. "What's the matter?"

"I can't find my mommy," the little boy said, his voice quivering and tears forming in his eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart," Frankie said reassuringly, touching his head to comfort him. "We'll help you find her. Don't worry."

The little boy responded by hugging their legs tightly. Cass reached down and pulled the child into his arms, stroking his back lightly. Frankie began visually scanning the park, looking for the child's mother.

Just as they were about to begin their search, they heard a woman on a nearby path frantically calling, "Brian, Brian."

The little boy lifted his head from Cass' shoulder and said, "Mommy."

"Over here," Frankie called out loudly.

The woman approached them rapidly, holding her arms out for her child. Cass stood up and gently passed the boy to his mother, saying "We told you we'd find her, little guy."

Hugging her child to her tightly, she kissed his head again and again, saying,

"Oh, baby. I was so worried about you. Don't ever run off like that again."

Turning then to Cass and Frankie, she said gratefully, "I can't thank you enough. I just turned my back for a second, and he was gone."

"We're so glad we could help," Frankie replied. "He's a beautiful little boy."

"Thank you again," the woman responded, smiling warmly at both of them. "Come on, Brian. We have to go and find your daddy. He was so worried about you."

"Bye," the little boy said softly, waving his small hand at them.

Cass watched intently as the boy and his mother disappeared into the trees.

"Are you all right, Cass?" Frankie asked.

"Yeah…," he said, suddenly distracted.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," he said, turning to look in her eyes. "Frankie, we've never talked about this, but do you want to have children one day?"

"You mean like that sweet little boy?"

"Mmm hmm. Or a little girl who looks just like you."

Nodding, she replied, "Someday."

"So, you're up for dirty diapers, and temper tantrums, and soccer practice…."

"And hugs and kisses, and rocking my child to sleep, and watching him or her grow. It terrifies me, but, yeah, I think I'll be up for it."

"What are you worried about, Frankie? You're a natural."

"I don't know about that, Cass."

"I do. You have the most loving, generous heart I've ever encountered. Any child would be lucky to have you for a mother."

Blushing in response, Frankie paused a moment before asking, "What about you?"

"You know, I used to think that I didn't want kids. My parents weren't such great role models, and I didn't think I was cut out for it."

"What changed?"

He paused for a moment, and then smiled, looking directly into her eyes. "Falling in love has a way of changing your perspective."

"In what way?"

"Um…I don't know quite how to explain it. You start thinking about the future, and you find that you want to share that love, expand it somehow. Does that make any sense?"

"Yeah, it does."

Noticing a hint of sadness in his voice, she continued, "Did you and Kathleen plan on having kids?"

"We talked about it, but it was always something for the distant future. She had her career, and I was still too self-centered."

"I'm sorry, Cass," she said, taking his hand in hers.

"It wasn't meant to be."

"Oh, Cass," she said, hugging him tightly.

"It's probably for the best, anyway."

"Why do you say that?" she asked, pulling back to look into his eyes.

"Because after she died, I was emotionally bankrupt. I had nothing left to give to anybody, much less a child."

"You have more strength than you realize, Cass. You would have found a way to care for your child, even through the pain."

"You have more confidence in me than I do."

"You'd be a great father, you know," she replied, running the back of her hand gently down his jaw line.

"You think?"

"Of course I do. Look how much you've done for Reuben."

"That was mostly your doing, Frankie."

"I may have given you some encouragement, but you are the one he listened to."

"So, we make a good team."

"Yes, we do."

"Still, being a mentor isn't the same as being a father."

"Cass, you know how to love, and you'll learn how to take care of a child…that is, if you want one."

"Um, maybe we can work on that project together someday."

"Maybe," she answered, her eyes lighting up as she gently kissed him.

After a few moments, they hugged tightly, sealing an unspoken promise between them.

Glancing at his watch, Cass reluctantly pulled away from her. "Frankie, I have to go."

"So soon?" she asked, disappointed.

Nodding, he asked, "I'll see you tonight?"

"Definitely."

"Come by the office after you're done. We'll make plans from there."

"Oh, I've already got plans for you," Frankie said suggestively.

"Have you now?" he asked, raising his eyebrow in response.

"Mmm hmm," she replied.

"I see. Well, I look forward to hearing all the details later," he responded.

"Oh, no," she began with a wicked smile. "This will involve a personal demonstration."

"Even better," he purred, pulling her tightly to him and kissing her passionately. "Now, go before we forget all about work."

"Yes, boss," she said, wiping her lipstick from his face with her thumb. "I'll see you later."

"I can hardly wait," he said, bringing a smile to her face. "Oh, and Frankie…,"

"Yes, Cass."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."


End file.
